1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method, and more particularly, to a plasma-enhanced film forming apparatus and a plasma-enhanced film forming processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
As such a plasma-enhanced CVD (chemical Vapor Deposition) film forming apparatus, one having a structure as shown in FIG. 6 has been proposed.
This conventional plasma-enhanced CVD apparatus 6 is an inner tank closed type plasma-enhanced CVD apparatus in which a closed inner tank 30 is formed in an outer tank 20.
In this plasma-enhanced CVD apparatus 6, a lower inner tank wall 37 is mounted around an anode plate 34 which constitutes a lower electrode (anode) 33 together with a susceptor 35. The lower inner tank wall 37 is lifted together with the anode plate 34 so that a side wall 375 of the lower inner tank wall 37 abuts against an upper inner tank side wall 31, thereby forming the closed inner tank 30. Therefore, when the closed inner tank 30 is formed, the position of the anode 33 is determined uniquely, and a distance L between an upper electrode (cathode) 24 and the lower electrode (anode) 33 is determined uniquely.
As today""s working method of a plasma-enhanced CVD apparatus, especially in a plasma-enhanced CVD apparatus for LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), it is general to carry out an online gas cleaning process. That is, it is necessary to carry out two different kinds of processes such as a CVD process and a gas cleaning process with the same electrodes.
In the case of the CVD apparatus, it is required that the processing speed of both CVD process and gas cleaning process is enhanced. Although the distance between the electrodes is one of important factors to determine the processing speed, there is almost no case in which the distance between the electrodes suitable for CVD process is the same as that suitable for gas cleaning process and in generally, an optimal distance between electrodes for CVD process is different from that for gas cleaning process. Further, in the case of CVD process also, an optimal distance between the electrodes differs depending upon the kinds of film.
However, in the conventional CVD apparatus, there are drawbacks that it is impossible to change the distance between the electrodes while keeping the closed structure, and if the distance between the electrodes which is suitable for one of the processes, the other process must be carried out inefficiently.
Furthermore, if distances between the electrodes which are respectively optimal for the two processes, during either one of the processes, it is impossible to keep the closed structure. For this reason, there are problems that plasma is spread out in the outer tank 20, the plasma density is lowered and as a result, the processing speed is decreased. Further, since gas leaks into the outer tank 20, there is a problem that the outer tank 20 is contaminated.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus, including:
an outer tank,
an inner tank provided in the outer tank, and
opposed electrodes provided in the inner tank, wherein
a distance between the opposed electrodes can be changed in a state in which the inner tank can completely confine plasma therein, and
the inner tank includes first and second inner tank constituent members, and the state in which the inner tank can completely confine plasma therein is established by superposing a side wall of the second inner tank constituent member on a side wall of the first inner tank constituent member.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus, including:
an outer tank,
an inner tank provided in the outer tank, and
opposed electrodes provided in the inner tank, wherein
the inner tank can completely confine plasma therein with respect to two or more different distances between the opposed electrodes, and
the inner tank includes first and second inner tank constituent members, and the state in which the inner tank can completely confine plasma therein is established by superposing a side wall of the second inner tank constituent member on a side wall of the first inner tank constituent member.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus, including:
an outer tank,
an inner tank provided in the outer tank, and
opposed electrodes provided in the inner tank, wherein
a distance between the opposed electrodes can be changed in a state in which the inner tank is closed, and
the inner tank includes first and second inner constituent members, and the inner tank is closed by superposing a side wall of the second inner tank constituent member on a side wall of the first inner tank constituent member,
at least one of the side wall of the first inner tank constituent member and the side wall of the second inner tank constituent member includes a plurality of auxiliary side walls, and
the plurality of auxiliary side walls of one of the side wall of the first inner tank constituent member and the side wall of the second inner tank constituent member, and the side wall of the other of the first inner tank constituent member and the side wall of the second inner tank constituent member are superposed on each other, thereby closing the inner tank.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus, including:
an outer tank,
an inner tank provided in the outer tank, and
opposed electrodes provided in the inner tank, wherein
the inner tank can be closed with respect to two or more different distances between the opposed electrodes, and
the inner tank includes first and second inner constituent members, and the inner tank is closed by superposing a side wall of the second inner tank constituent member on a side wall of the first inner tank constituent member,
at least one of the side wall of the first inner tank constituent member and the side wall of the second inner tank constituent member includes a plurality of auxiliary side walls, and
the plurality of auxiliary side walls of one of the side wall of the first inner tank constituent member and the side wall of the second inner tank constituent member, and the side wall of the other of the first inner tank constituent member and the side wall of the second inner tank constituent member are superposed on each other, thereby closing the inner tank.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus, including:
an outer tank,
an inner tank provided in the outer tank, and
opposed electrodes provided in the inner tank, wherein
a distance between the opposed electrodes can be changed in a state in which the inner tank can confine plasma therein,
the inner tank includes first and second inner tank constituent members,
the state in which the inner tank can confine plasma therein is established by bringing the second inner tank constituent member into contact with the first inner tank constituent member,
the opposed electrodes include first and second electrodes which are opposed to each other,
the first electrode is disposed closer to the first inner tank constituent member,
the second electrode is disposed closer to the second inner tank constituent member,
the second electrode can move in a state in which the second inner tank constituent member is in contact with the first inner tank constituent member,
the substrate processing apparatus further includes a further inner tank constituent member coupled to the second electrode, and
a further inner tank can be formed in the inner tank by bringing the further inner tank constituent member into abutment against the first inner tank constituent member.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus, including:
an outer tank,
an inner tank provided in the outer tank, and
opposed electrodes provided in the inner tank, wherein
the inner tank can confine plasma therein with respect to two or more different distances between the opposed electrodes,
the inner tank includes first and second inner tank constituent members,
the state in which the inner tank can confine plasma therein is established by bringing the second inner tank constituent member into contact with the first inner tank constituent member,
the opposed electrodes include first and second electrodes which are opposed to each other,
the first electrode is disposed closer to the first inner tank constituent member,
the second electrode is disposed closer to the second inner tank constituent member,
the second inner tank constituent member can contact the first inner tank constituent member with respect to two or more different distances between the opposed electrodes,
the substrate processing apparatus further includes a further inner tank constituent member coupled to the second electrode, and a further inner tank can be formed in the inner tank by bringing the further inner tank constituent member into abutment against the first inner tank constituent member.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including:
an outer tank,
an inner tank provided in the outer tank, and
opposed electrodes provided in the inner tank, wherein
a distance between the opposed electrodes can be changed in a state in which the inner tank is closed, and
the inner tank includes first and second inner tank constituent members, and the state in which the inner tank is closed is established by superposing a side wall of the second inner tank constituent member on a side wall of the first inner tank constituent member.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including:
an outer tank,
an inner tank provided in the outer tank, and
opposed electrodes provided in the inner tank, wherein
the inner tank can be closed with respect to two or more different distances between the opposed electrodes, and
the inner tank includes first and second inner tank constituent members, and the state in which the inner tank is closed is established by superposing a side wall of the second inner tank constituent member on a side wall of the first inner tank constituent member.